If there’s anything in Chris Foster’s Los Angeles Times story that ought to bother UCLA athletic director Dan Guerrero, it was the author’s assertion that the administration “signed Steve Alford to a seven-year, $18.2-million contract with the expectation that his hiring would invigorate an apathetic fan base. They expected him to be greeted with open arms.”

When Alford was hired, he was only nine days removed from an NCAA Tournament round of 64 loss to Harvard that was considered the most stunning result of the 2013 championship. He was hired with only a single NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 appearance on his resume. He was hired after primary targets Brad Stevens and Shaka Smart—Bruins fans who advocated the firing of Ben Howland were widely convinced they’d get one—declined.